Southport Prepares for High Winds and Possible Disruptions Due to Storm Darragh

The Council is sharing advice and guidance to residents ahead of Storm Darragh. 

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the current yellow weather warning will be escalated to an amber warning which could bring strong winds of up to 80 mph in coastal locations like Sefton.

People can stay up to date with the latest information and advice by heading to: www.sefton.gov.uk/StormDarragh

Prepare for disruption and cancellations
Windy weather can cause delays and make travel conditions dangerous. Check bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. If driving, check road conditions and ensure you have essentials in your car (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, an in-car phone charger).

No road closures are currently in place, but this could change at short notice if roads become blocked by fallen debris or trees.

People can help reduce the risk of disruption and damage by checking for loose items outside their homes, and planning how they could secure them. Items include bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

Those planning to attend events over the weekend should check with organisers before setting off.

Christmas crafts events in Victoria Park, Waterloo and Coronation Park, Crosby have been cancelled and other events being held in parks or open spaces are likely to be postponed.

Sporting events, such as football league matches and Park Runs, have also been cancelled for the coming weekend, and Southport and Bootle golf courses and driving ranges will be closed.

Avoid coastal, wooded, and unsheltered areas
With winds predicted to reach up to 70 or 80mph in coastal areas, we strongly advise people to avoid Sefton’s coastline, wooded areas, and open, unsheltered areas during Storm Darragh.

Sefton’s beach car parks are already closed for the winter and National Trust Formby has closed their Victoria Road site, including the car park and toilets, during the extreme weather.

Dog walkers are encouraged to avoid these areas and keep dogs on a lead.

In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Park closures
Parks across Sefton will be closed over the weekend as a precaution to keep visitors safe from falling trees or branches. Parks, particularly those with trees and wooded areas, pose a significant risk during high winds and we strongly advise people to avoid these spaces until the weather improves.

Victoria Park, Southport, and the ice-skating rink situated in the park will be closed on Saturday due to the poor weather conditions.

Flood risk
Some areas of Sefton are prone to flooding if rivers overflow during periods of heavy and persistent rain and the Council is reminding residents that information and advice can be found on our flooding information pages.

If residents find they live in an area likely to be affected, we encourage them to follow the advice and make preparations to protect their properties.

There is also helpful information on The Flood Hub website where people can sign up for alerts and find information for communities to manage flood and coastal risk across the North West.

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